Richard Land‘s radio show has been canceled by the Southern Baptist Convention. Although Mr. Land was cited for plagiarism, which he apparently did commit, this was not the focus of the SBC’s statement. The SBC was concerned about Mr. Land’s allegedly inflammatory remarks concerning the Trayvon Martin case.

What did Mr. Land say that was so horrible? He said that Mr. Obama was taking political advantage of the situation. One can make a good case for this claim–Mr. Obama said that if he had a son, he would look like Trayvon Martin–this could be construed as an attempt to shore up support among his base. Political charges similar to Mr. Land’s claims have been made quite frequently in conservative circles, though perhaps with more tact than Mr. Land used. Mr. Land also referred to Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton as race baiters. An even more solid case can be made for that claim–are Mr. Jackson and Mr. Sharpton beyond criticism? Should they escape the inevitable criticism that those in the public eye routinely face? Surely not except in a liberal fantasy world. Does anyone remember the Tawana Brawley case or the Duke Lacrosse case and how Mr. Jackson and Mr. Sharpton stirred emotions to a dangerous level in cases that turned out to be other than Mr. Jackson and Mr. Sharpton claimed?

Discourse about race has become so emotionally charged that the range of politically correct things to say has narrowed to the point that one cannot say anything outside the liberal party line without being labeled a racist. Now I don’t know if Mr. Zimmerman is guilty of manslaughter or not–I will wait until the facts of the case come out. Pointing out the fact that some individuals are using the case to agitate others and to stir up dangerous emotions is not irresponsible or wrong. The more the left and the pseudo-right shut off discourse, the more frustrated those silenced become. If those silenced already had wrong attitudes, they will only be hardened in them. If they did not have wrong attitudes, they are far more likely to gain them after being silenced. Cutting off discussion of race will most likely lead to an increase, not to a decrease, in racism.

I have noticed a leftward trend in conservative Evangelical churches over the last few years, fueled by liberals in their academic institutions. These colleges, universities, and seminaries train ministers and other church officials. They may be technically “conservative,” but they buy into much of the left’s beliefs, including supporting politically correct speech on race. If Mr. Land had used an obscenity to refer to another race, he should have been fired and disciplined by the church. If he had claimed that one race was intrinsically superior to another, then he should have been disciplined. He said neither of those things. Yet he lost his radio show and was forced to apologize–I do not doubt the sincerity of his apology. What I doubt (without defending everything Mr. Land said and not justifying his plagiarism) is the apparent belief of Southern Baptist officials that any criticism of Mr. Obama, Mr. Jackson, or Mr. Sharpton is tantamount to racism, which is an absurd position.

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I admire the education and learning of Dr. Land. His remarks, not welcome among some, are not that offensive if compared to outlandish remarks by those who cite racism at every turn whether it exists or not ina particular situation.
The double standard exists between some who claim that is a “War against black people” and those who exploit the fraudulent slogans to rally an audience.
The idea of free speech is being perverted so that the term means “whatever I and my friends” find acceptable.
In time, the idea of free speech will be laid aside as will the idea of freedom of religion.
That the SBC is closing out Dr. Land’s radio program on the Salem Network is not a good omen for free [but responsible] speech or for religious liberty in the U.S.

I agree with you. There is a double standard for free speech in the US (and in the UK and Canada as well–it’s even worse in those countries). I don’t know of any person who doesn’t get angry at times and use a tone of voice that seems hateful–no one should be punished for that. I did not find anything in Dr. Land’s remarks that was inaccurate. I guess if Bill Cosby points out some of the same things Dr. Land said, it’s okay. It is a frightening time in the U.S., as the political correctness that infected academia when universities began hiring 1960s radicals has spread to Christian schools and through their faculty to the ministers of even some conservative Protestant denominations. I used to be in Churches of Christ; many academics in the Churches of Christ today are every bit as PC as the most radical of political leftists at secular universities. The world has turned upside down.

I am a convert to the faith. There is a subsection of conservatives/traditionalists who truly seem to believe that white people are superior to darker skinned people and think that anyone who is not white should be kicked out of western countries. The Jews made the same basic error before having the kingdom taken away from them. Just because Europeans have built a magnificent civilisation doesn’t mean they are superior in God’s eyes. It is obvious that God has blessed their ancestors abundantly, but it is not because they are more valuable in God’s eye than the rest of the human race.

Don’t let the foolishness of liberals turn you into a reactionary. I’ve encountered too much of this online. Egalitarian principles are based on the idea that all men are made in the image of God. Leftists just take it too far.